Friday, March 20, 1998Last modified at 4:20 a.m. on Friday, March 20, 1998

Longtime Clinton friend probed in Lewinsky case

WASHINGTON (AP) - Prosecutors in the Monica Lewinsky investigation questioned a close friend of President Clinton on Thursday while a lawyer for another Clinton accuser acknowledged talking to a supermarket tabloid about his client's story.

The Star magazine said that Kathleen Willey's lawyer, Dan Gecker, indicated she might be willing to sell her story for $300,000. Gecker denied ever talking specific figures and said no serious negotiations occurred.

Phil Bunton, editor of Star, said, "We've been trying to persuade Kathleen Willey to talk to us for about six months now, and basically some time in the last month Mr. Gecker said she might talk for $300,000."

Gecker retorted, "I told the Star all along we would never sell to a tabloid. ... I would never have sold to anyone for $300,000. If you think about it, $300,000 would not help her. It would all have gone to creditors." Tongue in cheek, he added: "For $3 million maybe."

The story, suggesting Mrs. Willey had a financial motive in coming forward with her accusation that Clinton made an unwanted sexual advance, came as the grand jury investigating the Lewinsky matter called a longtime Clinton friend to testify.

Marsha Scott, whose friendship with Clinton dates to his Arkansas days, is a deputy assistant to the president and chief of staff of presidential personnel. She was questioned for much of the afternoon. Stranded at the courthouse waiting for a car to pick her up after testifying, she smiled and bantered with reporters, but declined to comment on her appearance.

Lewinsky denied in an affidavit that she had sexual relations with Clinton, but in secretly made tape-recordings by her friend Linda Tripp, she talked frequently about having oral sex with the president.

On Capitol Hill, Republicans continued to debate among themselves how the House of Representatives might deal with any scenario in which Starr turns over the results of his investigation for a possible impeachment proceeding.